Many functions of modern devices in automotive, consumer and industrial applications, such as converting electrical energy and driving an electric motor or an electric machine, rely on semiconductor devices. For example Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs), Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MOSFETs) and diodes have been used for various applications including, but not limited to switches in power supplies and power converters.
Occasionally, a semiconductor arrangement comprises means for carrying out a protective function, such as a short circuit turn-off function. To this end, a semiconductor device of the semiconductor arrangement may be electrically coupled to a control circuit that controls operation of the semiconductor device in dependence of a semiconductor device temperature and/or in dependence of a semiconductor device load current that flows through the semiconductor device. For example, if the semiconductor device temperature and/or the semiconductor device load current exceeds a respective threshold value, the control circuit may react by turning off the semiconductor device, which causes the load current to be reduced to approximately zero.